More court kabuki theater, but it keeps everybody busy while the jugged people remain in jail.
[AlAhram] A Beni Suef criminal court has sentenced Moslem Brüderbund supreme guide Mohammed Badie and three others to 25 years in prison for inciting violence that led to festivities in the governorate on 14 August 2013, al-Ahram Arabic news website reported.
The violence, which occurred after the dispersal of sit-ins in Cairo protesting the ouster of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, involved the torching of a cop shoppe, a notary office and a school in Beni Suef.
The court also sentenced 12 other people to 25 years in prison in absentia and 77 others to 15 years.
The trial involved 92 defendants, with 25 in jug and 67 tried in absentia.
The defendants include leading Brotherhood figures including member of the group’s guidance office Abdel-Azim El-Sharkawy and former MPs with the Brotherhood’s now-dissolved Freedom and Justice Party.
Badie has previously received prison sentences in other cases.
[Breitbart] The West Point mentor of a soldier now under investigation by the Army for engaging in political activity while in uniform is on administrative leave, Breitbart News has learned.
The adviser is Rasheed Hosein, a professor of Middle East history, who was in charge of Second Lieutenant Spenser Rapone’s development at West Point.
A West Point spokesman confirmed he is on administrative leave but said it is unrelated to Rapone.
“We are unable to provide information regarding administrative actions but can confirm that the details are unrelated to 2nd Lieutenant Rapone,” the spokesman said.
At West Point, Hosein had mentored Rapone. The two apparently traveled together to India together in 2014 and maintained a close relationship until Rapone graduated in May 2016.
Also during that time, Rapone’s Facebook posts grew increasingly radical and leftist.
The Army confirmed that Rapone graduated from West Point in 2016 and is now serving as a second lieutenant with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, based in Fort Drum, New York.
The unit issued its own statement that focused on uniform regulations.
“Both the Department of Defense and the Army have longstanding policies encouraging soldiers to participate in the democratic process. However, the Army has strict rules regarding the wear and appearance of Army uniforms.”
Rapone’s activism while in uniform appears to be much broader than those two photos.
On August 7, Rapone posted a photo on his Instagram account of himself in his Army uniform wearing a Democratic Socialists of America Membership nametag that says, “official socialist organizer.”
Rapone’s Instagram account was taken down Tuesday evening.
Sometime last year, he posted a picture on Instagram of an Antifa flag in his room next to a print of Che Guevara. “New room decor … until it’s flying proudly in the streets. #AntiFa,” he wrote, according to a picture obtained before he took down his account.
A review of Rapone’s Facebook page shows that over time, since 2014, his posts became increasingly anti-racism, anti-Israel, pro-Muslim, pro-Communist, anti-military, and anti-police.
On January 5, 2015, he posted a Slate.com article calling for the abolishment of West Point. As a Facebook friend since 2014, Hosein would have been aware of Rapone’s Facebook postings between 2014 and when he graduated in 2016. A search of Rapone’s page shows they are still Facebook friends.
Hosein’s bio on the West Point website lists Rapone as one of two cadets he last advised at West Point.
Hosein began teaching at West Point in July 2011. Previously, he served as the director of Public Education for the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago.
He was also Muslim Lay Chaplain at West Point, Officer in Charge of the Muslim Cadet Association, and Emeritus Facility Adviser of Phi Alpha Theta, a national history honor society of which Rapone was a member, according to a photo.
[TOWNHALL] So, Second Lt. Spenser Rapone surely got his 15 minutes of fame, with his tweets of support to Colin Kaepernick in the wake of the national anthem controversy that’s engulfing the National Football League. Kaepernick launched the first salvo of this leftist theater by taking a knee during the Star-Spangled Banner last year. Last week, President Trump slammed those players who took a knee during the national anthem. The firestorm has begun. Well, at West Point, Rapone tweeted “#VeteransforKaepernick” with him in uniform holding his officer’s cap with “communism will win” inscribed on the inside. He also tweeted another photo of himself revealing a Che Guevara t-shirt under his uniform.
#10
The two apparently traveled together to India together in 2014 and maintained a close relationship
Dunno why, but something about this smells funny.
#16
Everything Obama has done is too flagrant to be real.
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
09/29/2017 11:33 Comments ||
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#17
I look for the retirement of the West Point Superintendent any minute now. LTG Caslen signed in on July 17, 2013, so it will be announced as a ..... normal end of tour event.
A very private retirement ceremony should be expected.
#20
"Well the bad news is you'll be spending about a week behind bars.", "That doesn't sound so bad." You'll have the cell to yourself>", "Even better." , "Your cell will have a bar in it. "I don't drink, so why?" , "The bar has a point on it and you'll be sitting on it on your tippy toes. "
[DAWN] Following the disclosure that fingerprints of over 29,000 voters in a constituency were missing from Nadra’s database, the Election Commission of Pakistain (ECP) has sought details of the electorate across the country whose fingerprints and photographs are not available with the National Database and Registration Authority.
In a letter written to the Nadra chairman, the ECP has drawn the attention of the authority to the fact that the commission had asked Nadra to provide biometrics of all voters of NA-120 for the purpose of pilot testing of biometric verification machines in the constituency.
The letter says Nadra provided the requisite data of majority of voters of the constituency and informed the ECP that biometrics of 29,607 voters were not available with the authority as fingerprints of 27,121 voters were not available for the reason that they had been issued CNICs prior to induction of biometric machines into Nadra and 2,271 voters were NICOP holders and their biometrics were not available.
It points out that one of the candidates in the constituency, Dr Yasmin Rashid, moved the Lahore High Court, raising objections to the credibility of electoral rolls on the ground of non-availability of the biometrics of 29,607 voters.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/29/2017 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa inaugurated the Army Public School and College in Swat ...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat... on Wednesday.
The Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement that the institution was a gift from the Pakistain Army to the resilient people of Swat in recognition of their contributions and sacrifices in defeating terrorism.
The facility with a capacity of 3,600 students is equipped with computer and science labs, an auditorium and a sports stadium.
Gen Bajwa, who visited the Kanju garrison in Swat, interacted with students, faculty members, administration and local elders.
"There is no better approach towards enduring peace and stability than providing quality education to our youth," he said.
The elders thanked the army chief for the establishment of Swat cantonment and the school. Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. Corps Commander Lt Gen Nazir Ahmed Butt was present on the occasion.
Also on Wednesday, the army chief inaugurated 14km Ghalanai-Mohmand Gat Road that included the 751-metre Nahakki tunnel.
The ISPR said that the first phase of the total 41km road had been completed, while work on the remaining portion was in progress.
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09/29/2017 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday slammed Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif for suggesting that the country must "put [its] house in order" while being interviewed during his trip to the United States for the United Nations ...an organization which on balance has done more bad than good, with the good not done well and the bad done thoroughly... ' General Assembly.
Members of the committee were of the view that Asif's statement mocked the sacrifices made by the army in its fight against terrorism and also supported the new US policy on South Asia and its demand for Islamabad to "do more".
Last month, US President Donald Trump ...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States... had accused Pakistain of providing "safe havens" to terrorists, evoking a strong response from both the government and the opposition.
The committee wondered whose interests the foreign minister was protecting, and demanded that Asif be summoned in the next meeting to explain his statements.
Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... 's Shireen Mazari reiterated her party's stance on Asif's statements, saying that if the country's foreign minister kept on giving such statements, "Pakistain will not need an external enemy".
The committee also directed the foreign affairs secretary to brief the committee on the government's new policy regarding the US.
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[DAWN] Two senior Central Jail officials in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... were jugged ... anything you say can and will be used against you, whether you say it or not... on Thursday over alleged obstruction of the investigation of a jailbreak involving two high-profile snuffies in June.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested Central Jail Superintendent Ghulam Murtaza Sheikh and Assistant Superintendent Abdul Rehman Sheikh, CTD Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Amir Farooqi said, over a range of charges from alleged destruction of evidence to threatening witnesses.
DIG Farooqi, who was handling the jailbreak investigation, said the accused jailers were creating hindrances into the investigation of the two snuffies linked to the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi ... a 'more violent' offshoot of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistain. LeJ's purpose in life is to murder anyone who's not of utmost religious purity, starting with Shiites but including Brelvis, Ahmadis, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Rosicrucians, and just about anyone else you can think of. They are currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of al-Qaeda ... ─ Mumtaz, alias Firaun, and Ahmed, alias Munna, who were involved in the murders of 60 people, including members of the Shia community and law enforcement agencies.
The jail officials taken into custody were allegedly involved in ’destroying’ evidence relating to the investigation, and threatening witnesses who wished to cooperate with Sherlocks to record their statements.
DIG Farooqi said that this was third case registered against them in relation to the same incident.
The first case was registered against one dozen jail officials, including the two arrested officials, over the jailbreak.
A second case was registered against them after heroin, cellphones and cellphone signal jammers were recovered during a search operation by the Rangers inside the prison after the jailbreak in June.
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[Institute For The Study of War] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The United States will continue to risk its vital strategic interests in the Middle East unless it changes its policies in Syria and Iraq. President Donald Trump and his administration inherited a weakened U.S. position, with Russia imposing constraints on American freedom of action and options. The Trump administration has taken initial steps to advance U.S. prestige in the region by reassuring America’s traditional allies and acting more firmly against its enemies and adversaries. The tactical tasks of recapturing Mosul and liberating Raqqa from the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) are complete and nearly complete, respectively. Nevertheless, its efforts to define and execute policies that secure America’s vital interests are moving more slowly than those of America’s enemies, adversaries, and spoilers who are more agile than the U.S. These actors include Russia, Iran and its proxies, Turkey, ISIS, al Qaeda, and some Kurdish elements, who are pursuing goals that threaten American objectives and are exploiting the current situation to make strategic gains as the U.S. champions short-term gains and tactical success.
The Trump administration has not yet broken with its predecessor’s approach to the Middle East, particularly in Syria and Iraq. It has prioritized conducting counterterrorism operations against ISIS to recapture ISIS’s territory. American military forces have accelerated this campaign by relying on the most readily available local forces, including Kurdish forces in northern Syria that are aligned with terrorists targeting Turkey. The administration has eschewed a U.S. role in addressing the regional war’s underlying drivers, including the role of the Bashar al Assad regime in Syria and sectarianism in Iraq stoked by Iran. The main effort of the counter-ISIS fight must become preventing the organization from reconstituting and its rivals from inheriting its leadership of the Iraqi and global jihad. ISIS re-emerged from a defeated al Qaeda in Iraq and controlled Iraqi cities only three years after American troops departed in 2011.
The Trump administration has also acquiesced to an expanding Russian and Iranian ground campaign in Syria and a growing role for Iran inside Iraq. Its diplomatic efforts to end the wars have focused on the most expedient political outcomes shaped by dominant local and regional actors. It does not appear committed to shaping a long-term stabilization congruent with a wider set of American regional interests. The administration has expressed that it will confront and roll back Iran’s destabilizing campaign but has neither set the conditions for such a campaign nor undertaken sufficient policy action that will set conditions for such an outcome.
The Russo-Iranian coalition is exploiting the continuity in American strategy from President Obama to President Trump’s administration. It is now strengthening its grip in Syria while enabling the Assad regime to extend its positions. Vladimir Putin’s dependence on Iran for securing Russia’s most important interests in Syria ‐ its airbase at Latakia and naval base at Tartous ‐ will continue to ensure that he will remain intertwined in a deepening partnership with Tehran. The "de-escalation" agreements brokered in Syria will allow Russia to remain in the driver’s seat for shaping the overall political settlement. These agreements will also fail to prevent Iranian expansionism. Russian and Iran share the ambition to weaken and ultimately expel the U.S. from the region. They are continuing to position themselves to make that outcome a reality.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[DAWN] Following the disclosure that fingerprints of over 29,000 voters in a constituency were missing from Nadra’s database, the Election Commission of Pakistain (ECP) has sought details of the electorate across the country whose fingerprints and photographs are not available with the National Database and Registration Authority.
